Footwear



W. DEUKER Dec. 24, 1935.

FOOTWEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1931 l'rbverLZ-O Wlfel/m 1361475 n Dec. 24,- 1935. W. EUKER 2,025,650

FOOTWEAR \Filed 001;. v5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lvwerbizvr, mhd/m, Ruiter.

' Amr/zg vPatented Dee. 24, 1.935

' UNITED STATES PATENT oEElcE FOOTWEAR Wilhelm Denker, Kanlsdorf, near Berlin, Germany Application October 5, 1931, Serial No. 587,095 In Germany August 12, 1930 6 Claims.

space between the foot and the inner sole, so that the bones of the foot, and-particularly the heel bone, are not sufficiently supported and can sink. Further adaptation of the shoe involves diiculf ties because the outer shape of the shoe cannot be changed. The edge of the insole serving for ,theattachment of the upper must have the same level on both sides, whereas the inner surface -of the shoe rises to adifferent level on both sides in 'accordance with the shape of the foot.

` in which the rear part of the shoe is provided with a non-flexible stifiener of material which resists bending forces, the lower margin of which is preferably provided with a welt for the attachment of the upper, and the lower side of which is iiat to conform with the shape of the sole, Whilst the upper part is adapted exactly to the shape of the foot, filling material being used if necessary.

The noniiexible stilener can replace the other parts of the sole and in the vicinity of the ball of the foot it can be connected with the front parts of the sole which abut obliquely against its front edge, whereas the upper and if necessary the heel-covering are attachedl in a groove at the level of the edge of the insole. The rear portion of the insole can serve as covering sole or may also be split and cover the non-flexible stiffener above and below, the. upper being connected with the bottom part of the rear insole by a seam.

The stiifener may further consist of two mutually supporting metal plates of which the upper corresponds to the shape of the foot and the lower. to the shape of the sole.

At its heel end and at the sides the non-iiexible rear part of the stifener is carried up so far that the inner sole gradually merges into the shape; of the shoe, and the rear cap 'is held by the back surface of the heel part. By strong curving of the bottom of the shoe the heel bone and the adjoining bones of the instep are securely sup- -ported, and in cases of sunken instep a resilient pressure maybe exercised theren if necessary,

by which malformations of. the foot can be corrected.

Several embodiments of the invention are shown by. way of example in the accompanying drawings, in whichz- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the middle of ashoe having a non-flexible stiffener and an insole split in the rear portion.

Fig. 2 is a cross section along the line lI-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. longitudinal section of a shoe, the upper of which is attached directly in a cut-away I portion in the bottom of the shoe.

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the shoe according to Fig. 3 along the line IV--IV.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the footwear according to Fig. 6 along the line V-V.

Fig. 6 is a cross section along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5. 1

Fig. 'I is a cross section along the line V'lI-VII 20 of Fig. 5.

, In the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the insole 2 which, in the front part of the shoe, fixes the upper, is slit at the rear part of the shoe, and embraces between its upper broader half 2' and its lower narrow part 2" which corresponds to the breadth of the sole, a stiiener i which consists of rigid material, particularly wood, and forms at its lower edge the usual sole edge for attaching the upper. The upper side of the stiiener l is formed so as to correspond exactly to the shape of the foot, whereas its lower side is formed flat so as to adapt itself to the shape of the sole. The upper part 2 of the insole completely covers the top of thestiiener I and gradually merges into the shape of the shoe, while the lower`part 2" of the insole is connected with the upper 6 by a connecting seam after the manner of welted shoes.

The stiffener can be rmly connected rear parts of the insole by means of glue lor nails. At the heel, a he'elvportion 'i is provided in the usual manner, the front ,surface of which is covered by an outer sole 3 which is connected at the back with the part 2" ofthe insole and in the 45 front with the insole 2 by sewing or gluing, the

lling material 4 being inserted. w

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 3

and 4, the insole 2 is carried as far as the heel,

without being split. The upper 6 is attached by 50 nails in a flat cut-away portion 8 of the stiffener I the top of which corresponds to the shape of the foot and the lower part corresponds to the shape of the sole. The heel l, the front surface of which iS also covered by th.. outer sole 3 and with a heel 55 with the40 tap 5, is connected directly to the rigid stiifener.

In the footwear according to Figs. 5-7 the insole 2 runs through to the rear end of the shoe and is connected in the usual manner with the upper 6 by sewing, nailing, or gluing. Under the insole and betweenthe ends of the upper in the longitudinal centre a narrow crimped metal plate I is arranged which has the same shape as the sole and which extends forward to the vicinity of the ball of the foot thus preventing the -insole from sagging. A second metal plate I' provided above the insole and corresponding exactly to the shape of the foot extends far upwards particularly on the inner side of the centre part of the shoe, so that the entire surface of the foot rests on a covering sole attached to the metal plate I'. .l The rear end of the plate I is rigidly connected of pressure cannot be produced on the* soleof Y the fcot. A

The usual lasts can be usedfor making the footwear according to Figs. 5-7, as'the upper stiener I 'f together with the covering sole 2 need be inserted in the shoe-only after attaching the-upper 6 with .the insleresting on the last and v connected with the lower metal plate l" and after the withdrawal of the last.

-By means of the rigid-stiffener according to the invention the inside of thev shoe is adapted exactly to the shape of the foot, but the shoe retains the usual form as the lateral surfaces of the stilfener hold the upper in the correct position and produce at their lower edge La sole edge which has a sharp contour at the heel. The rear stiffl ener, which 'is preferably made ofa single piece of material, can have any desired form on its .inner surface such as that of the 'known orthopedical arch supports, but incontrast with these it has the advantage that it is 4impossible for the supporting 'member to slip, so that 'the desired correction 'Tof the foot by pressure on the foot `ioint can be obtained with safety.

I claim: s

1. Footwear comprising atthe rear part of the shoe a broad insole, a rigid stiffener arranged under said insole and conforming at its lower surface with the shape of the shoe and at its upper side with the shape of the foot, the upper side of said stiffener and the linsole'gradually merging into the shape of the shoe and the lower surface of the stiifener having a at cut-away portion for attaching theupper leather.

2. 'Footwear Ycomprising a rigid stiffener permanently xed to the upper leather and the outer sole and insole conforming at its lower surface with the shape of the sole and at its upper side with the shape of the foot and having the full width and extent of the foot at theA rear thereof, that stiiener being arched to such an extent that it exercises a pressure on the anterior and the longitudinal arch of the foot in order to correct malformations of the foot.

I3. Footwear comprising a rigid stiffener embraced between an upper broad flap and a lower 10 narrow flap oftheslit rear part of an insole, an outer sole and an upper, said stilener, which has 'the full width and extentof thefoot at the rear thereof,.at its lower face being .parallel to the outer sole and representing a sole edge adapted l5 to support the upper, and at its upper face conforming throughout with the shape of the foot and gradually merging into the upper at all borders including the heel end and into the front part of the insole at a point adjacent to the ball portion.

4. Footwear comprising at the rear part of the shoe 'an outer sole and an insole, a rigid stiffener, which is permanently connected with said soles and has the full width and extent of the foot 25 l at the rear part thereof conforming at its upper .surface -with the shape of the foot, an upper leather having its marginal portion embraced between the outer soley and the stiiener, said stiffener gradually merging into the upper at ali borders includ .ng the heel end and into the front partei' the insole at a point adjacent to the ball portion.

- 5. Footwear comprising at the rear part of the shoe -a broad insole, an outer sole 'and an upper, 35 a stifienerl permanently fixed under said insole conforming at its lower surface with the shape of the shoe and at its upper side with the shape of the foot, the upper side of said -stiifener being arched to. such an extent that it exercises a pres- 40 sure on'the lower face of the foot to crrect malformations thereof, that upper side -of the stiffener'and the insole gradually mergingiinto the 'shape of the-shoe, the lower surface of said stiffener having a atcut-away portion for attach- 5 ing the upper. leather.

6. Footwear comprising-an outer sole, an insole and an upper, a r.' gid stii'fener embraced between an upper broad flap and a lower narrow ap of the slit rear part of the insole, said stiffener, which w has the full width and extent of -the foot at the lrear part thereof, at its lower facebeing paralleltothe outer sole and representlnga sole edgel which-supports the upper, and at its upper face conforming with the shape of the foot, but being V .arched to such an extent that it exercises a pressure on the lower face of the foot to correct malformations thereof, that upper side of the stif-. fener gradually merging into the upperA at all bor ders including the heel end and into the front part of the insole at a point adjacent to the ball portion, said insole being connected with the upper in the front part of. the shoe. v

WILHELM DEUKER. 

